Cement pointing is too grey

Hi,

I have recently patched-in an area on crazy paving in my garden, and think I have used the wrong sand (I was advised to use sharp sand and grey cement). The cement has dried but is pure grey in colour, whereas the existing pointing is a sandier colour. I don't think a dye was used originally, just a different type of sand.

A small area of patched in cement (about a month old) seems to be turning a sandy colour in small parts, so my question is does cement change colour over a long period of time (grey cement becomes more sandy?) I used a mix of 4.5 to 1.

If the answer is it won't change colour, I will need to dig it up and start again (I have been advised to use plastering sand next time), but if it may change colour over a long period of time (up to a year) I will leave it as it is.

Please could somebody help, as I don't want to dig it up if I don't have to.

Thanks,

it will slowley weather in, but they probably used building sand or a combination of building sand and sharp

Thanks. I now need to decide whether to dig up the top inch and redo with plasterers sand, a lot of work if I don't really have to.

As I said, a small patch of earlier pointing is definately changing colour, but I think this was a slightly wetter mix, would this make a difference?

If the pointing was likely to change colour with weathering, am I looking at weeks or years to see any change?

Thanks in advance for any help given.

youre looking at years. You do NOT want to use plasters sand. You want building sand. I would suggest you get it from somewher local, as the likelehood that is what was used before, rather than styff from national companies such as b and q

Thanks, I will try a few test using different sands, maybe mix in some White cement for a lighter colour?

One final question, What is the minimum depth I would need to dig out to relay new pointing, it's for crazy paving so some of the areas to be filled are quite large so I wouldn't want anything which would break easily underfoot, would an inch be deep enough?